ii8 A V O Y A G E T O T H E 



CHAP 

 VI. 



Wednef. 9. 



The heavy and continued gale of wind for fome days paft 

 had raifed no furf on the beach to the Weflw^ard of us, 

 Auguft. and I am inclined to think there never is much fea near the 

 fhore v^ith any wind whatever. My reafon for forming 

 this conjefture is, that the natives have fixed wears for ' 

 catching falmon in feveral places, which, fhould any fea 

 fet in fhore, would certainly be wafhed away by the furf. 



The land to the Weftward is prettily diverfified with 

 vallies and gently rifing grounds, which in general are 

 clothed with pines and fhrubs. Many of the vales have 

 fmall rills of water which difcharge themfelves into the 

 fea, and in one of them were feveral houfes and fome ftages 

 on which the natives dry their falmon. Thefe, contrafled 

 with the mountains fituated behind them, which are en- 

 tirely covered with fnow, compofe a landfcape at once beau- 

 tiful and pidurefque. 



During the late ftormy unfettled weather, the air had 

 been mild and temperate, and I am inclined to think that 

 the climate here is not fo fevere as has been generally fup- 

 pofed; for, in the courfe of our traffic with the natives, 

 they frequently brought berries of feveral forts, and in par- 

 ticular blackberries, equally fine with thofe met with in 

 England. 



Besides the various forts of furs met with here, and 

 which have already been enumerated. Cook's River pro- 

 duces native fulphur, ginfeng, fnake root, black lead, coalj, 

 together with the greateft abundance of fine falmon ; and 

 the natives behave quietly and barter fairly j fo that a moft 

 J profitable 



